Levain Bakery

During our recent trip to New York City, I finally got to try the famous chocolate chip cookies from Levain Bakery. The bakery is known for their chocolate chip walnut cookie, with each one weighing a whopping 6 ounces. These thick, decadent cookies with barely set soft centers are so popular that there is almost a constant long line of customers.

When we arrived at the original location, we could barely see the signage for the tiny store, though we immediately saw the line. It’s a very cramped space, with only one entrance and exit. The actual bakery is located on a lower level, so you also need to go down a set of stairs. We waited in line for 30 minutes and there were moments where I considered leaving the line, convinced the cookies couldn’t be that good.

Finally, it was our turn to order. They offer four flavors of cookies, along with some other baked goods, including a popular banana bread.

We bought the chocolate chip walnut cookies and the dark chocolate chocolate chip cookies.

And the verdict? I thought they were definitely worth the wait. I normally don’t even like nuts in my cookies, but didn’t mind the nuts in their chocolate chip cookie. At first glance, $4 might seem like a lot for a cookie, but these are monstrous (6 oz!!) and extremely rich cookies. I couldn’t get through half a cookie without needing a little break, before eating more.

I could immediately understand the appeal. I love a freshly baked cookie, and Levain Bakery’s cookies captures everything I love about a fresh baked warm cookie perfectly. The cookies have a crispy and crumbly exterior, with a soft, barely set interior, resulting in melted chocolate bliss with every bite. The cookies are extra thick, but aren’t cakey. They somehow manage to retain the texture of your classic chocolate chip cookie.

Even though the chocolate chip walnut is their signature cookie, I actually liked the dark chocolate chocolate chip even more. I mean, look at the photo! This cookie base had a brownie-like richness to it and there was so much melted chocolate.

These cookies were very satisfying. We walked to Central Park to eat two of the cookies and packed the rest for later. I was impressed that even at the end of the night, the cookies still had the melty center and tasted like they had just come out of the oven.

If you’re a cookie lover, I definitely recommend checking out Levain Bakery when in New York City. The cookie doesn’t quite have the complexity of The New York Times chocolate chip cookie, which remains my personal favorite, but it is a very  impressive cookie and eating them was one of the highlights from my trip.

Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St
New York, NY, 10023
https://www.levainbakery.com/